only from progressive. >>> i'm candy crowley in washington. u.s. forces are on a higher alert today because of a terrorist threat in the middle east and north africa. the u.s. has also issued a worldwide travel warning. cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr is here. hey, barbara. >> reporter: the pentagon has put forces in the region on higher alert, ready to go if trouble breaks out. three u.s. navy warships with about 1500 marines are offshore of yemen, another several hundred combat hf ready marines are in southern italy and spain. all of this comes after a series of meetings and the pentagon chair chuck hagel to position troops to be ready. at the same time, interpol has issued a global security alert asking its member nations to help determine if a series of massive prison escapes across the region in recent days may be linked. hundreds of prisoners, including some al qaeda members, have escaped prisons in iraq, pakistan, libya and syria. candy. >> and you've got to believe, barbara, that even if this is not connected with the current terro